But in a recent study, it was noted that no matter how much you restrict calories or diet, you might not get the same lifespan-increasing effect unless you exercise. In this study, fruit flies that were engaging in dietary restriction experienced a significant increase in lifespan and a shift in their metabolism toward more fat burning, especially in muscle tissue. (I wonder how they measure muscle tissue in fruit flies…)

However, there was a direct positive correlation between the amount of physical activity and fat burning, and also the amount of physical activity and extended lifespan. What this means is that restricting calories without being physically active may not do you much good when it comes to increasing your lifespan.

Of course, you’ll still probably lose weight on a diet, but this study shows that physical activity seems to introduce even more life-extending benefits to watching what you eat.